Happy 53rd Birthday, Michael J. Fox! Take a Look Back at the Actor’s Family Ties Days

Happy 53rd birthday, Michael J. Fox! With a lengthy acting roster that boasts some of the greatest movie and television characters of a generation—like Back to the Future’s zealous Marty McFly and the precocious, well-dressed Alex P. Keaton from Family Ties—the Canadian-American actor has enjoyed a successful career spanning more than 40 years. Fox has earned tributes, including multiple Emmys and Golden Globes, for his performances as a lead actor as well as guest roles on shows such as The Good Wife, Rescue Me, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Most recently, the actor starred in NBC’s The Michael J. Fox Show, which ran for one season.

The husband and father-of-four is also an aggressive advocate for Parkinson’s disease research since being diagnosed with the condition in 1991. He founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation in 2000 to raise awareness and resources for a cure and gathered support from many of Hollywood’s most influential players. In 2007, Fox was named among Time’s 100 people “whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world” for his work with the disease.